A wide variety of devices and methods pertaining to suspension mechanisms or methods have been described. Although a comprehensive search has not been performed, the following references are considered relevant to the present invention for stabilizing building, automobiles, and other types of structures and vehicles for transport during seismic or other meteorological events, control or operation. However, none of these documents teach the dynamic stabilization of means of transport or other vehicles or of tall buildings or other structures through the use of their weight proper.
The following documents discuss shock absorbers components of suspension systems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,015 issued Sep. 28, 1993 to Yoshioka et al teaches an automobile suspension. A shock absorber controller allows the shock absorber to effectively produce damping forces while at the same time preventing chattering by preventing changes to the damping coefficient. The system essentially comprises a shock absorber of multi-degree variable-damping-coefficient type, a damping force detector, a control means, an inhibition means, and a threshold changing means. U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,705 issued Mar. 22, 1994 to Butsuen et al teaches an automobile suspension including control of variable damping coefficient shock absorber. This invention provides a change control of the damping coefficient carried out so that an actual damping force generated by the shock absorber can harmonize with a target damping force and control the sprung vertical motion off the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,225 issued Jul. 19, 1994 to Hair teaches a passive vehicle suspension system. A plurality of shock absorbers have regions divided into a plurality of chambers by their respective pistons. Sensors are mounted on each wheel to detect movement thereof as well as acceleration roll and pitch sensors being mounted on the vehicle, and fluidic signals are developed by each of the sensors and are applied through a fluidic circuit for application to the valve structures controlling a variable orifice mounted within an interconnecting bypass passageway. Thus, by control of the orifice, the characteristics thereof are changed to in turn change the damping characteristics of each of the shock absorbing units.
The following documents discuss torsion connectors between suspension elements. U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,943 issued Oct. 16, 1990 to Lin teaches a stabilizer bar torsion unit which can be automatically adjusted according to road conditions encountered so as to offer a comfortable ride and a driving safety to the occupants of the automobile. The stabilizer bar unit includes a generally U-shaped stabilizer bar connected to the control arms of two c.backslash.aligned wheels of the automobile at two ends thereof. A cylindrical sleeve coaxially surrounds the intermediate portion of the bar in such a manner that w.backslash.two sealed annular chambers are formed in the end portions of the sleeve. Movable rings received within the chambers having splined outer surfaces engage the bar and a hydraulic cylinder is connected to the sleeve rotatably. Thus, as the vehicle increases in speed, the rings separate and a greater potential torsion is available by the bar to the wheels of the automobile. U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,101 issued Feb. 22, 1994 to Minnett teaches a variable rate torsion control system for vehicle suspension. The invention uses a torsion bar for conveying torsional forces from one part of the automobile to another. An engagement assembly is provided between the wheel suspension component and the torsion arm for selectively varying the engagement location of the suspension component along the length of the torsion arm as the vehicle moves, thus allowing the amount of leverage applied to the torsion bar to be varied. U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,011, issued Aug. 16, 1994 to Hein teaches a force dampening torque strut for an automobile engine. The torque strut has a unique energy absorbing housing with a pair of energy absorbing cavities formed in the housing for receiving resilient rubber shock absorbing elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,345 issued May 15, 1990 to McCown Jr. et al discloses a building foundation stabilizing and elevating apparatus. This apparatus consists of a pair of hydraulic cylinders from an upper head assembly from which the cylinders depend downwardly, mounted onto a foundation bracket. This apparatus is designed to prevent buildings from settling or to adjust the position of a building.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,764 issued Feb. 12, 1991 to Connery et al teaches a technique for stabilizing building foundations. This system is designed to stabilize a building by it's foundation when the underlying soil is prone to expand and contract in response to changes in water saturation. A ground movement sensor activates a valve which supplies water to the foundation to counteract the downward deflection of the foundation when the soil shrinks sufficiently due to loss of moisture therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,602 issued Mar. 23, 1994 to Weiland teaches a stabilized air cushion vehicle. This invention comprises a plurality of downwardly and inwardly directed air nozzles for producing an air curtain that creates and confines a central primary air cushion beneath the vehicle. When the vehicle leans or dips, the increased pressure of one of the air cushions increases and tends to push the vehicle back up to a level position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,857 issued Jun. 8, 1993 to Harke teaches an apparatus and method for enabling a subsequent stabilization of buildings. This method and apparatus enables subsequent stabilization of buildings with precast floors. Several longitudinally extending cross girders are clamped together and at the building end walls such that the floor zone to be stabilized is encompassed by a rugged ring anchor and, optionally, reinforced by the provision of longitudinally and transversely extending anchors incorporated into the floor in a lattice shaped fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,248 issued Jun. 8, 1993 to Reast teaches a vehicle suspension system. A plurality of leaf springs arranged generally transversely of the longitudinal axis of the associated vehicle act in conjunction with additional suspending devices, such as leaf springs, coil springs, hydraulic, pneumatic or other system, provide the vehicle with an anti-roll characteristic when operating under certain conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,440 issued Jun. 24, 1993 to Schneider teaches a tilt compensator for high-speed vehicles, in particular rail vehicles. This device is designed to compensate the tilt of the carriage body of a rail vehicle when traveling around sharp turns at high speeds. A pair of transverse air springs provide an energy source and, in conjunction with a tilt compensator, prevent the carriage of the rail vehicle from tilting uncontrollably during turns at high speeds upon a superelevated track.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,737 issued Nov. 23, 1993 to Furuya et al teaches a device for stabilizing the attitude of an automobile. The device includes a cylinder means independently disposed between the road wheels and the automobile body, the cylinder having respective fluid chambers in fluid communication with each other, a valve means for pressurizing the chambers, and a detection means for detecting the speed and the steering reactive forces of the vehicle such that the valve means transfers fluid from the chambers of the radially inner side of a turning vehicle to the chambers of the radially outer side of the turning vehicle, thereby stabilizing the attitude f the automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,356 issued Jun. 21, 1994 to Kolbe et al teaches a method and circuit configuration to augment the driving stability of a road vehicle. This invention utilizes traction slip control by brake management. The drive wheel which exhibits the higher coefficient of friction is identified and the rotational pattern of this wheel is monitored and stabilized by brake management as soon as the traction slip of this wheel exceed a limit value. Braking pressure which may exist in the wheel brake of the second drive wheel is decreased.
As will be apparent from the foregoing prior art, there are numerous descriptions of suspension and stabilizing devices intended for use with cars, trucks and trains as well as for buildings and other structures. However, none of these inventions are able to be controlled according to information obtained by measuring the actual operational parameters of the vehicle or structure. The purposeful control of the functioning of existing devices has not heretofore been achieved but is now possible.